Controlling means for motors.



Patented My 9, l90l.

E. P. "A30".

GONTBOLLING MEANS FOR MOTORS.

(Application filed Fab. 6, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Invevzfir 15222122 Mex-90w,

Noam: PETERS 00.. PHOT umouwAsnmavon u c UNITED STATES"- PATENT OFFICE.

EARL P. MASON, F NEW-PORT, RHODE ISLAND.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR MOTORS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 678,013, dated July 9, 1901. Application filed February 6, 1901. Serial No. 46 279. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EARL P. MASON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newport, county of Newport, State of Rhode Island ,have invented an Improvement in Controlling Means for Motors, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts. I I

My invention relates to controlling means for steam or other motors capable of imparting to the apparatus driven thereby either a forward or backward movement, as in automobile vehicles, launches, or other apparatus which it is desirable to quickly and readily control as to its speed and its movement forward or backward. It will be manifest that the chief requisites of such controlling means are simplicity of construction and the capability of performing the desired function or functions in a manner which will accord with the natural impulse of the operator. ning an automobile vehicle, for instance, the power should be shut off before a reversal of the driving mechanism is effected, and if the vehicle is at 'rest the driving mechanism should be incondition to move the vehicle forward or back before the power is applied. Again, if the vehicle isrunning ahead and the operator wishesto stop suddenly or to go backward the natural impulse is to draw back the hand grasping the controller..

In mypresent invention I have devised controlling means which fulfils these conditions and which is operated by one hand of the oporator, leaving the other hand free to manipulate the steering means, if the apparatus is an automobile vehicle or a boat.

Various novel features of my invention will be hereinafter described in the specification, and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

1 Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of controlling means embodying my invention shown in connection with the steam-motor of an automobile vehicle. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the controller detached. Fig. 3 is a right-hand edge View thereof partly brokenout. Fig. 4 isa sectional detail on the line 00 co, Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a detail tobe referred to.

In run- Referring to Fig. 1, the body A of a vehicle is partly shown in dotted lines provided'with motive means, including an upright boiler 13, steam-cylinder 0, its valve-chest O, throttle T, and crank-shaftO driven by the motor of any suitable and well-known construction;

usual block 0 in the link being pivotallymounted on the rocker 0 connected with the valve-stem. The eccentric o is the one whichis operative when the vehicle is running forward, and the eccentric o operates when running backward, the link being shown in midposition.

I have herein shown the controller as compound, comprising an upturned supporting member a, fulcrumed at its lower end on a suitably-supported rock-shaft b and adapted to be swung in a vertical plane forward or back in the direction of the arrows 3 at, Fig. 1, said member being longitudinally slotted, as as a,'Figs. 3 and 4, and having an elongated opening a therein near its fulcrum. The upper ends of the two forks or arms of the member a are laterally enlarged to form parallel-segments 0, provided at their ends with stops 5 6, and one of the segments has a central notch 7 in its curved edge. The other member comprises a handpiece or grip d, having an enlarged foot 11 inserted between the two forks of the member a and mounted to rock on a headed pin a extended throughof the handpiece. Manifestly when the two 9 members are locked together the controller can be swung bodily forward or back on its l 2 teams fulcrum by grasping the handpiece d, and'if said members are unlocked the handpiece can be rocked on its pivot a in the plane of bodily movement, and in my present invention such separate movements are utilized in governing the motor.

The link 0 is shown in Fig. 1 as connected by a short rod 0 with a rocker c fulcrumed on a suitable support at a, and by swinging the rocker the link is swung forward or back from mid-position to any desired extent to vary the point of cut-01f in well-known manner, and the reversing mechanism illustrated is herein operatively connectedwith the controller, to be actuated by bodily movement of the latter. For this purpose a rocker-arm b on the rock-shaft b is pivotally connected by a rod 0 with the rocker 0 so that when the controller is swung forward in direction of arrow 3 the link 0 will be correspondingly moved and the motor will impart forward movement to the apparatus. Similarly movement of the controller in the direction of arrow 4 will actuate the reversing mechanism to impart backward movement to the apparatus, and it will be obvious that unless the lock is released all movements of-the controller will be bodily and will affect only the reversing mechanism.

Any suitable device may beemployed to hold the controller at any desired point in its path of movement, and herein I have shown a fixed radius-bar 01 having a seriesof depressions (Z therein and located adjacent the end of the boss 0., the latter supporting a ball or bolt 0], having a rounded end and. forced outward by astrong spring 5 Within the boss. (See Fig. 4.) The spring operates-to force the bolt into one of the depressions d", to thereby hold the controller in position until positively moved by the operator in one or the other direction.

I-have shown the foot (1 of the upper member of the controller as provided with a double cam-groove d which engages the suitably shaped upper end of a longitudinally-movable bar d mounted in the recess or slot a of the supporting membera of the controller and having a guide-bearing 25 therein, the shape of the cam-groove being such that when the member cl d is rocked on its fulcrum in either direction from neutral position the bar (1 will be moved in the direction of the arrow 35. y

In order to utilize therelative movement of the members of the controller, I have herein shown a curved arm 2, fast on a suitably-supported rock-shaft 29, Fig. 1, and extended through a hole d in the bar (1 the arm 6 corresponding to an are having the fulcrum b of the controller member at as its center, so that bodily movement of the controller will not affect. the position of the arm t, whilelongitudinal movement of the bar d will rock the said arm on its fulcrum. A second: arm 6', fast on the rock-shaft t is connected by rod t with a bell-crank t the latter in turn 7 anism will be in neutral position. 5 the motor, the rearward bodily movement of the controller is continued past mid-position as far back as may be desired, and the power operating a second bell-crank 25 by a rod 25 Fig. 1, the latter bell-crank being operatively connected to the stem t of the throttle-valve. These connections between the curved arm 15 and the throttle are so arranged that when the arm is depressed by movement of thebar d in the direction of the arrow 35 the throttle will be opened, corresponding to a movement of the controller member d d from full to dotted line position, Fig. 2, and reverse movement of the said memberwill operate to close the throttle.

The operation of the controller and its cooperation with the reversing and speed or power regulating mechanisms will be manifest from the foregoing description; but I wish to refer briefly to the readiness and effectiveness of the apparatus. Suppose, for the purpose of illustration, that the apparatus wherein my invention is embodied is an automobile vehicle, and referring to Fig. 1 the throttle is shown closed and the reversing mechanism on center, corresponding to mid-position ol go" the controller. The operator grasps the handpiece (1, the finger-piece f of the lug being conveniently accessible to the fingers of the operators hand, and if'it is desired to start the vehicle forward the operator pushes the controller away from him or in the direction in which he desires the vehicle to travel, and such bodily movement of the controller operates to place the reversing mechanism in goahead position, it being noted that as yet the throttle has not been opened. The controllercan be swung to any desired position, according to the point at which the link is to be set, and after'such actuation of the reversin g mechanism,as I have broadly termed it, a slight pressure of the operators fingers unlocks the two members of the controller and'a continued forward movement of the hand efiects relative movement of the unlocked members, the member d d moving ahead until stopped by the lugs 5 engaging ears d on the base of the handpiece, and such relative movement of the controller members will swing the curved arm tand through the intervening connections open the throttle. If now with the apparatus running ahead it is desired to stop or go backward, the natural impulse of the operator is to draw the controller towardhim, and such movement of the operators hand will act to first rock the handpiece and the supporting member a of the controller into full-line position, Fig. 2, so that the latch will automatically drop into the locking-notch 7, the relative movement of the controller members operating to close the throttle, and as the inward movement of the operators hand continues the controller will be bodilymoved rearwardly or in the direction of the arrow 4 until mid-position is reached, and atthat point the reversing mech- To reverse sa e will not be turned on until the operator unlocks the two members of the controller and trol or to any other use wherein it is desirable to perform independent operations with one lever, and my invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown nor to use with any particular character of motive mechanism, as various changes or modifications may be'made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having-f ull y described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus of the class described a throttle, reversing mechanism, including a link, a manually operated compound controller therefor comprising two pivotally-connected n1embers,one being supported wholly by the other, said members having a-moveoperated by movement thereof, a handpiece 'pivotally mounted on the lever to rock in the ment in unison and also a relative movement, in the same path, a singlehandpiece for the said controller, and operating connections between the latter and the reversing mechanism, bodily movement of the controller from neutral position operating one of the said devices, and subsequent relative movement of the members of the controller in the same path, and on their pivotal connection operating the other of said devices.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a throttle, reversing mechanism, including a link, a manually-operated compound control ler the members whereof are movable simultaneouslyor relatively'to each other, connections between the reversing mechanism and controller, operated by bodily movement of the latter, to regulate the position of the link, and independent connections between the throttle and the controller, operative by relative movement of the members of the latter at any point in itsbodily path of movement.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a'

throttle, reversing mechanism, including a link, a compound controller having a bodilysaid members and the throttle, operated by relative movement of the members in the plane of movement of the controller as a whole.

4. In apparatus of the class described, power regulating and reversing mechanisms, a compound controller therefor comprising a swinging support and a hand piece pivotally mounted directly upon and wholly sustained by said support, to rock in the same path, a

manually-operated lock to prevent relative movement of said members, and independentconnections between said mechanisms and said members of the controller, movement of the support operating one mechanism, and rocking movement of the handpiece upon the swinging support when unlocked operating the other mechanism. k

5. A reversing-lever, a handpiece pivot= ally mounted thereon and movable relatively to said lever, means carried by the lever to limit the throw of the handpiece, means'to maintain the lever at difierent points in its path untilpositively moved, a manu= ally-controlled lock to prevent movement of the handpiece relatively to the lever, and power regulating and reversing mechanisms operated respectively by relative movement of the handpiece and movement therewith in unison with the lever.

6. A'swinging lever, reversingmechanism plane of movement thereof and having a cam,

a link in engagement with the cam and movable longitudinally of the lever when the handpiece is rocked on its fulcrum, a rockshaft provided with a segmental arm. concentric with the fulcrum of the lever and having a sliding connection with the link, whereby the arm and rock-shaft, power-regulating means operated thereby, and a manually governed lock to connect the handpiece and lever, to move them in unsion.

7. In apparatus of the class described, two independent mechanisms, a manually-operated compound controller therefor the members of which have a movement in unison and longitudinal movement of the latter will rock also a relative movementin the same plane, 7

and operating connections between said mechanisms and the controller, whereby such different movements of the controller are made effective to independently operate said mechanisms.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EARL P. MASON Witnesses HARRY STEPHENSON, F. A. S'rooKwELL. 

